Spiders of the genus Sphingius (Araneae: Liocranidae) from China, with description of two new species Author Zhang, Feng Author Fu, Jian-Ying Author Zhu, Ming-Sheng text Zootaxa 2009 2298 31 44 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.191649 0c6b20cf-dfa0-44bb-b15c-36450145d1d3 1175-5326 191649 Sphingius zhangi sp. nov. ( Figs. 21–31 ) Type material. Holotype male, CHINA : Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning City [ N 22.65° , E 108.39° ], October 1, 2002 , Y . Q. Zhang leg. ; paratypes 3♂1♀, same data as holotype ( MHBU ) . Diagnosis . This new species is very similar to Sphingius vivax (Thorell, 1897) (cf. Deeleman-Reinhold 2001 , 494, figs. 840–842) in the conformation of the genital organs, but can be distinguished by having a longer and thicker male palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs. 30–31 ), the bulb with apical membranous conductor, and by the shape of the median apophysis. Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of Prof. Yongqiang Zhang, who collected the type specimens and kindly sent them to us. Description. Male ( holotype ). Total length 4.14: carapace 2.03 long, 1.49 wide; abdomen 2.11 long, 1.35 wide. Carapace ovoid in dorsal view, with wedge-shaped posterior margin; reddish brown, surface covered with numerous small granulations, lateral and posterior margins with angular granulations. Eyes in two transverse rows; AER slightly recurved and PER straight in dorsal view ( Fig. 21 ). Eye diameters: AME 0.05, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.09. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.06, PME–PLE 0.06; MOA 0.18 long, front width 0.23, back width 0.25. Thoracic groove obsolete, fronted by a dark triangular mark. Chelicerae reddish brown, with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth, anterior surface somewhat swollen ( Fig. 22 ). Endites, labium and sternum dark brown. Sternum shield-shaped, lateral margin with precoxal triangles and intercoxal sclerites. Space above the coxae and below the carapace with longitudinal, sclerotized pleural bars. Leg spination: femora I-IV with one small dorsal spine, tibia III v1-1 -0, p0-0-1, metatarsus III v0-2-0; tibia IV v2-2 -1, r0-0-1, metatarsus IV p0-1-0, v0-1-0, r0-1-0. Leg formula: 4123 ( Table 4 ). Abdomen ( Fig. 21 ) dark brown dorsally, with nearly entire dorsal scutum, epigastric and postgenital scutum fused to some extent, postgenital scutum relatively large, about two thirds of abdomen length; venter smooth, without longitudinal lines. Male palp as illustrated ( Figs. 29–31 ). Tibia with long retrolateral apophysis, scimitar-shaped. Bulb ovoid in ventral view ( Fig. 30 ), tegulum straight at base; sperm duct distinctive U-shaped, originating from upper part of tegulum; subtegulum relatively large, darker than tegulum ( Fig. 29 ); embolus straight, spine-shaped, short and thin, originating from prolateral-apical tegulum, not extending beyond tegulum ( Fig. 30 ); conductor apical, corn-flake shaped; median apophysis nearly rectangular from retrolateral view, on distal-retrolateral sector of tegulum. TABLE 4. Leg measurements of Sphingius zhangi sp. nov. , male. Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total I 1.26 0.50 1.30 1.08 0.99 5.13 II 1.13 0.54 1.08 0.76 0.80 4.31 III 0.99 0.27 0.59 0.75 0.70 3.30 IV 1.58 0.63 1.08 1.67 1.04 6.00 Female. Total length 4.42: carapace 2.03 long, 1.62 wide; abdomen 2.39 long, 1.40 wide. Carapace ovoid in dorsal view, posterior margin truncate, lateral margins with curved hairs. Surface dark reddish brown, with numerous small granulations. Eye diameters: AME 0.04, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.07. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.09; MOA 0.15 long, front width 0.13, back width 0.16. Chelicerae with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Endites, labium and sternum brown. Leg spination: femora I-IV with one small dorsal spine, tibia III v2-2 -2, p0-0-1, r0-0-1; metatarsus III v2 -0-0, p0-1-0; tibia IV v2-2 -1, p0-1-0, r0-0-1, metatarsus IV p0-1-0, v2-1 -0, r0-1-0. Leg formula: 4123 ( Table 5 ). TABLE 5. Leg measurements of Sphingius zhangi sp. nov. , female. Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total I 1.62 0.59 1.08 1.04 0.99 5.32 II 1.31 0.57 0.95 0.99 1.03 4.85 III 1.08 0.40 0.68 0.78 0.76 3.70 IV 1.80 0.81 1.40 1.71 0.77 6.49 Abdomen ( Fig. 26 ) light gray dorsally, dorsum with two pairs of muscular impressions, venter light brown. Epigyne as illustrated ( Figs. 27–28 ). Epigynal plate oval-rectangular, anterior half concave and posterior half convex. Anterior atrial hood arch-shaped. Copulatory openings situated in the corners of the depression, leading through funnel-shaped ducts to the spermathecae and bursae. Spermathecae posteriorly, large, globose; bursae anteriorly, smaller globose, thin-walled; a short connecting tube between the anterior bursa and posterior spermatheca. Variation. Body lengths in other three males: 3.68, 3.95, 4.07. Distribution . Presently known only from the type locality.